The Wellington Art Society held its monthly meeting Wednesday, Jan. 8 at the Wellington Community Center. Guest speaker Rolando Chang Barrero of ActivistArtistA Gallery spoke about Art Synergy and conducted a 25 second bird-drawing experiment. For more info., e-mail Barrero at activistartista@gmail.com or visit www.artsynergypbc.com.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

With 100's of artists. booths and events available this week for you to see, visit and experience from ArtPalmBeach at the Convention Center to ARTalFRESCO in Boynton Beach an app has been developed to help you navigate through it all.

So far they've come up with donated long boards, tattoos, restaurant coupons and art work. All of the money raised will go towards rehabilitating the Boynton Beach Art's District.

"We're just hoping that it works out and people come out and support the Boynton Beach Art District and help them get back on their feet," Bentall said.

Chang Barrero said that drawings, collectables, computers, cameras, sound equipment and sewing machines all were damaged in the flood. "Everyone had a lot of damage," he said.

Rick Beau Lieu, owner of the Neighborhood Gallery & Fine Art Appraisers said he lost over 100 pieces of art.

"I've been here since 1986 and never had water in the building," he said.

During the storm, Beau Lieu waded through knee deep water to get to gallery. Inside, there were six inches of water, but he believes that good can come out of his loss.

"Maybe it will bring awareness that it costs artists money to operate," he said. "At an earlier time in my life I would have just thrown the towel in on a situation like this, but at this point in my life, I'm 66 years old, I don't have time to start another career someplace."

The Boynton Beach Arts District had been helpful in bringing together emerging artists from all over the county on its monthly open mic nights. But since the equipment got washed away with the flood, things aren't looking good, Chang Barrero said.

"Unless we get money from the fundraisers to replace all the sound equipment the Thursday nights are in jeopardy," he said.

Debby Coles-Dobay, Boynton Beach's public art administrator, hopes that the flood doesn't cause the district to lose the momentum it's gained.

"It's important that they continue the activities they offer," she said. "I applaud them for reaching out —there's a great artist community that's helping one and another."

Rolando Barrero (from left), Craig McInnis, and Gary Antonio, carry a piece of concrete to the garbage on Jan. 13, 2014 as they prepare an area of the Boynton Beach Art District for the ARTal’FRESCO exhibition, which is set for Jan. 24. (Madeline Gray/The Palm Beach Post)

“There will be a very diverse amount of artwork, but all very high-end, fine artwork,” said Debby Coles-Dobay, Boynton Beach’s public art manager.

Beyond the artwork, Coles-Dobay said, Boynton Beach’s satellite exhibit will allow patrons to connect with the artists and their work. Some of the artists will be working on their pieces at the exhibit, and others will appear in narrated videos.

“Not only will people view the work but they will get into the head of the artists, learn how they created and why they created it,” she added.

It will also helped establish Boynton Beach as a place where art is appreciated, Coles-Dobay added.

“It’s a really good catalyst to getting artists and art and culture focused within the city,” she said.

ArtPalmBeach ticket holders will be provided complimentary bus transportation, sponsored by the City of Boynton Beach, to the art district. Pickup time is 6:15 p.m. in front of the Palm Beach County Convention Center.

Before heading to the arts district, patrons will tour the Boynton Beach Art in Public Places, Avenue of the Arts, an outdoor exhibition that features twelve sculptures set in an urban environment.

ArtPalmBeach ticket holders will have access to a VIP catered area, sponsored by The Little House restaurant. Visitors will have a chance to meet ArtPalmBeach’s artists, speakers and presenters, as well as see the ActivistArtistA Gallery’s exhibition, “Sensibilities”, featuring the work of Ali Miranda and Cheryl Maeder.

The South Florida Symphony Brass Ensemble will be playing, and visitors will also see Illuminated Performance by Philosiphiers; Fusion: Fashion and Art’s Living Sculptures; and graffiti artists painting on “ActivistArtistA Bay Gates” doors and walls.

The event ends at 10 p.m., and visitors will be taken back to the convention center.

Coles-Dobay said the event is open to art lovers and those whose interest in art is just peaking.

“They don’t have to understand the art, they don’t have to be knowledgeable about the art. They just have to walk in, and all of a sudden they come back because they had an art experience they could connect to,” she said.

ARTal’FRESCO, along with the other five satellite exhibits - Worth Avenue Gallery Walk in Palm Beach; Continuum in downtown West Palm Beach; ArtX in West Palm Beach’s historic Northwood Village; South Dixie Antique Row Gallery Walk in West Palm Beach; and LULAʼs Art POP in Lake Worth - is a product of the collaboration between several artists who have created ArtSynergy PBC.

Admission to ArtPalmBeach is $15 in advance for a one-day pass; $20 at the door. Multi-day passes are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, and children younger than 12 are free when accompanied by an adult.

With the growth happening in Palm Beach with the latest $75 million dollar restoration project of the Norton Museum it is clear that it is the perfect time to bring together all the key players in the area to create exceptional and distinctive events.

One of the leaders of “Art Synergy,” local artist and activist Rolando Barrero, claimed during a press conference that “history is being made today by bringing the community together with one vision in mind to let everyone know that art lives in Palm Beach.”
The inauguration of “Art Synergy” is the first county wide gallery walk which includes six art districts coinciding with ArtPalmBeach. This six day event includes over 60 galleries, studios, non-profit art exhibition institutions and museums in six throughout Palm Beach County. Supported by the Palm Beach Cultural Council, Mayor's Office, Downtown Development Authority and Community Redevelopment Agencies, “Art Synergy” will include gallery walks, gallery receptions, open artist studios, performances, museum openings, film previews, fashion shows, lectures and special architectural tours. These events are focused on promoting contemporary galleries and emerging artists as well as established museums.

Rolando Barrero, Director of ActivistArtistA Gallery and Developer of Boynton Beach Arts District claimed that “Since opening my gallery, in a run-down industrial park in 2012, my dream was to develop the area into an art district and cultural center. It has taken only two years to do so. Now that it has been cleaned up, repainted, and nationally branded - it's ready to be presented to the art world. Lee Ann Lester is vital to this effort and it's with much gratitude that I thank her for accepting our request to participate under Palm Beach's flagship art exposition: ArtPalmBeach.”
For more information on tickets and programming, please visit the fair website at ArtPalmBeachWeek.
About ArtPalmBeach

ArtPalmBeach is the most recognized international contemporary art fair held at the Palm Beach County Convention Center established by the IFAE, LLC a Florida based art fair organizer. IFAE produces both ArtPalmBeach established in 1997 and The American International Fine Art Fair Palm Beach, February 4-9, 2014 established in 1996.
About IFAEIFAE produces both ArtPalmBeach established in 1997 and The American International Fine Art Fair Palm Beach February 5-9, 2014 established in 1996. IFAE is celebrating its 25th year as an international fair organizer founded by Lee Ann and David Lester. The company has organized over 100 international art fairs in Chicago, New York, Miami, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Dallas and Palm Beach. IFAE, LLC is now based in Miami and Palm Beach. In addition to the two Palm Beach fairs the firm organizes Miami International Art Fair, Miami Art + Design Fair, Art Sarasota, Miami International Jewelry Fair and The Club at SeaFair events in conjunction with Show Management Yacht Shows in Ft. Lauderdale, Miami Beach and Palm Beach.
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/01/prweb11477700.htm

Will Art Synergy's Art Loops be the fifth? We think so! With the support of Art Palm Beach organizer, Lee Ann Lester, all the major Palm Beach County arts organizations; including the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County the 'Art Loops' are expected to welcome thousands of visitors, as well as, local residents of Florida.

With media sponsors from the traditional press to the trendy avant garde magazines like Pure Honey, and Art Hive the expected audience at the six 'Art Loops' will be as diverse as the art.

Art Synergy's 'Art Loops' will begin on Wednesday, January 22nd, 2014, one day prior to Art Palm Beach, which is celebrating it's 17th anniversary at the Palm Beach Convention Center for January 23 thru January 27.

Saturday belongs to ART X in Northwood!Begin your day on Clematis Street with more Continuum and their presentation of The South Florida Symphony String Quartet!Then head north to ART X for visit to the historict village and some of the newest galleries in town, and don't the FUSION Fasion and Art show at Table 427 at 6 pm

_____________________Sunday is of course all to do with Palm Beach and Lake Worth!

The Wellington Art Society is starting 2014 off with a fabulous meeting! Rolando Chang Barrero, Director of ActivistArtistA Gallery and Developer of Boynton Beach Arts District and Art Synergy Co-Developer will speak. The Rickie Report knows how helpful Rolando’s expertise can be and urges all artists to attend this meeting. More details are in this article.

Wellington Art Society

Meeting January 8, 2014

6:30 pm

Featuring: Rolando Chang Barrero

Director of ActivistArtistA Gallery and Developer of Boynton Beach Arts District and Art Synergy Co-Developer

Wellington Community Center

12165 West Forest Hill Blvd Wellington, FL

The W.A.S. meeting will be held Wednesday, January 8th at the

Wellington Community Center, 12165 West Forest Hill Blvd.

The meeting begin at 6:30pm with some time for socializing and the general meeting begins at 7:00PM. Guests are welcome for a $5 fee. There will also be a raffle with fabulous prizes and the proceeds will go to the Wellington Art Society Scholarship Fund.

Rolando Chang Barrero will be the guest speaker, talking about his life, his work and the role of the artist as an activist. He began his career in the late 70′s as graphic designer creating T-shirts for some of the trendiest in New York City, Hollywood, Miami, San Francisco, Chicago, and Detroit.

In the late 1980′s Rolando worked as both an art’s writer and in galleries. In 1991 he retuned home to South Beach in Florida where he established his first gallery, The Ground Level on Lincoln Road, with fellow artist Jenny Person. The early part of the 90′s were spent exhibiting his work throughout the US, and traveling through Europe, Latin America, and Asia. His career was interrupted abruptly in 1994 when he was diagnosed with brain cancer.

While the remainder of the 90′s and the early part of this century was spent confronting medical issues and complications in 2008 Rolando returned to the art world as a freelance photographer in Austin, Texas working on a documentary series of nightlife images. In 2009, Rolando returned to South Beach and by 2010 went moved north to Palm Beach County where he opened The ActivistArtistA Studio and Gallery and Established theBoynton Beach Art District. “Since opening my gallery, in a run-down industrial park in 2012, my dream was to develop the area into an art district and cultural center. It has taken only 2 years to do so. Now that it has been cleaned up, repainted, and nationally branded – it’s ready to be presented to the arts world.

Rolando’s most recent effort is ArtSynergy. ART SYNERGY is a countywide movement to unify and promote the diverse culture of our vibrant arts community. With a coordinated five-day event that includes over 60 galleries, studios, non-profit art exhibition institutions and museums in six art districts throughout Palm Beach County during the five-day fair, Jan. 23-28th. He will talk about the exciting art events happening in Palm Beach County.

Rolando will discuss the symbolism behind the imagery in his work and the influences that the Art Brut movement has had on his work. He will have some of his work available for purchase. As always, the evening is for artists and art lovers to hear about all of the exciting projects and initiatives that the art society is involved in and to find out how to participate.

Wellington Art Society has ongoing art exhibitions at the beautiful Wellington City Hall gallery. These exhibitions rotate every few months and are juried shows with artwork submitted by Wellington Art Societies over 100 members. Most of the work is for sale and it is a great opportunity to see and buy fabulous local art.

The current show features 17 WAS members. The artwork includes photography, mixed media, watercolor, oil pastel and acrylic media. Tours are given between 11:00am and noon, and will continue to be offered the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month between 11:00am and noon.

Tours are free to the public and are available for small groups or individuals. Please meet in the lobby Wellington City Hall at 12300 Forest Hill Blvd,Wellington, Fl 33414. For additional information, please contact: Bobbin Salisbury, 561.762.8652.

Additionally, the Wellington Community Center has a permanent display of WAS art, original works that are available for sale and are rotated quarterly as part of the village’s Art in Public Places program. WAS is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, its mission is to educate and encourage originality and productivity among its members and area youth through programs designed to further the advancement of cultural endeavors in Palm Beach County. For more information, visit their website, www.wellingtonartsociety.org, wellingtonartsociety.blogspot.com .

Founded in 1981, The Wellington Art Society is open to artists of all mediums and patrons of the arts, providing both local and regional artists the platform to share their work, learn more about their craft and serve the community through their art. The Wellington Art Society is open to any resident in Palm Beach County.